


Letters from the Dead

by canufeelthemagictonight



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Afterlife, All the things they never got to say, Gen, Last Requests, Letters, the dead YouTubers write to the survivors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-03-09 08:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18913129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita...Seven YouTubers and two helpers write letters to their surviving friends from beyond the grave.An Escape the Night fic.





	1. Cheers, Jc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start with Jc. He is remarkably chill about the whole "being dead," thing, as one can expect, and he has some words of advice for Joey, Matt, and Nikita.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

Congrats on getting out of there! What's it like to make it? How's the view from good old sunny LA? The afterlife isn't so bad, all things considered; everyone's here, and we're all doing our best to get along as best we can. I think I might've accidentally adopted a few of our friends. Whoops. These things happen.

Other things that happen: you go to a town to save it, and then you get stabbed two hours into the mission. So it goes, I guess. But hey, at least I missed out on all the _really_ nasty stuff. Roi, Teala, Colleen, Safiya, Ro, Manny, Mortimer, and Calliope told me all about it, and, well, sounds like you guys had quite a time down there without me. At least you beat the Carnival Master. It would really suck if we _all_ ended up here.

Joey: Remember when we were talking during the carnival, before it all went down, and I asked you if this town really needed saving? You knew, didn't you? You knew from the start what would have to happen in order to save that town. Hey, man, I don't blame you. After all, how many people live in Everlock? Like, at least a few hundred, right? Saving their lives in return for losing a few of ours...that's not so bad, all things considered. It sucks that we had to get involved, but hey, I saw you with that crystal. Maybe there's still a chance for us. I trust you. It might be stupid, but I trust you. Don't let us down.

Nikita: I knew you'd be a badass from the minute I saw you drug that clown, and oh boy howdy, did you prove me right. I'm proud of you. You might've ruffled a few feathers along the way, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right? And now, what you gotta do is get yourself out of survival mode and start to actually open up again. Heal thyself, as they say, but don't do it alone. You have your friends, and you have your family, and you have so many people in your life who want to help you. Don't shut them out. You'll only hurt yourself if you shut them out.

Matt: Please don't blame yourself. You were up against Saf, first of all, and that girl's done _competitive eating_ before. Second of all, everybody had to vote for someone, and, well, I guess I just got unlucky. I know you were sorry you voted for me, and I know you tried your best to save me from the clowns. Just because you lost doesn't mean you failed me. I still think you're one of the smartest people I ever met, and I'm still glad that you were by my side until the end, so thank you for everything you did for me. Also, nice work coming back to life. I'm so glad that you were able to make the most of your second chance. You deserve it.

Can you guys do me a favor? Find Kian and tell him that he was right. I really should've just stayed in bed that day. Also, tell him I'm sorry I ruined the Kian and Jc channel by, you know, dying. He can make it his channel now. In memory of me, or whatever. Oh, and tell my family I love them while you're at it.

Bye, guys. Don't worry about the others. I'll take care of them for you. We'll take it one day at a time up here, because, like I used to say, you never know what might happen.

Cheers,  
Jc  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: Roi reflects on heroism and dishes out a few thank-yous of his own.


	2. To Infinity and Beyond, Roi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our second letter comes from everyone's favorite hero-in-training, Roi, who wonders whether or not he did a good job.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

Did I do it? Am I a hero now?

I dunno. A _true_ hero would've found a way to defeat the bad guy and make sure that _everyone_ survived. That's not me. I couldn't save the town, or its people, or my friends, or even _myself._ All I did was get bit, pull a block, and die. Painfully. It still hurts. A lot.

But everyone here says I'm a hero. Colleen calls me Hero Boy, and Jc says there are many, many stories where the hero dies at the end. He told me some of them. Like _Braveheart._ That guy suffered _so_ much, _way_ more than I did when I died, but no matter what they did to him, they couldn't make him submit to the evil king. He died a hero. Jc says there are lots of heroes who die for what they believe in, or to protect people, or to save the day. I'm still not sure if I'm one of them or not, but I'll have lots of time to think about it up here. I'll get back to you once I decide.

Speaking of up here, guess who's up here? Alex! Do you guys remember Alex? We used to run Wassabi Productions together, but he died last year. Well, I'm with him now! He was sad when I arrived, but don't worry! I was able to cheer him up in no time flat! (We're _so_ immature.) It's fun to catch up on all the crazy stuff that happened to us, and everyone else is here too, so now we're all friends. Oh, and I've been hanging out with Teala a lot. She's really nice. She also thinks I'm a hero. I feel more like one when I'm around her, so maybe she's right.

Hey, by the way, you know what? _You guys_ are heroes! All three of you! You stopped the bad guy and saved the town! What's more heroic than that?

Joey: You're the main character. You've been through, what, three of these things? That's a lot! And you're still going! I know you might not feel like a hero, but trust me, the world is a better place cause of all the stuff you've done. Without you, the Carnival Master would've probably destroyed Everlock by now, and that's to say nothing of the Sorceress and the evil butler (whatever his name was, Shane just calls him "the evil butler" and no one else who was there wants to talk about him). You put those horrible people in the ground for good. Now, you just gotta bring us back. Can you bring us back? Liza says maybe. Colleen laughed when I told her.

Matt: Did I ever actually thank you for saving my life? If not, I'll thank you now. Thank you! Thank you so much! You gave me and Teala a little extra time, so of _course_ I was gonna take that block for you so that _you_ could have some extra time. It's only fair! But before you start being all "oh, it's all my fault, I could've stopped him," that's wrong. My choice, my death. Okay? Anyway, you're a hero, too, cause you didn't let anything keep you down. Not the town, not the deaths of your friends, not even your own death. I wish I could be like you. You're awesome. Your baby has the best dad ever. Also, tell the baby I say hi!

Nikita: I didn't know you too well, and you weren't exactly my biggest fan, but I gotta ask: did I at least prove to you that I'm a Daredevil? I hope so. I don't blame you for telling me to pull that block, cause like I said, I'm pretty sure I was gonna pull it anyway. And after seeing how well you did in all those challenges, I'm not bitter that you beat me. It's kinda an honor to get beaten by the best! Yeah, some of the stuff you did wasn't so great (and some of the people up here are a little mad at you), but overall, you're a hero, cause you used your bravery and determination to help save the day. The good in you outweighs the bad. Don't forget that!

Mom, Dad, Reymound, Russell, and Ariel are gonna wanna know what happened to me. Please don't tell them all the gory details, okay? Just tell them that I did my best, and that I died to try and save everyone. Just cause I failed doesn't mean it isn't true.

Well, I'm gonna sign off now. Bye! Thanks for everything! Love you! Congrats on surviving the night!

To infinity and beyond,  
Roi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: It's Teala's turn. She's not quite as forgiving as Jc and Roi were, but can you really blame her?


	3. Sincerely, Teala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teala takes pen to paper to discuss her punching bag status.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

There. I'm dead. Happy?

I'm sorry. That was mean. But it's hard not to feel bitter when your group decides you're useless and throws you out to die. What did I ever do to you? _Exist?_ You said I was useless, but I was _trying._ I'm sorry it wasn't enough.

It doesn't matter. The worst is over. I'm in heaven with everyone else, and to tell you the truth, I feel more appreciated here than I did down there. That's ironic, isn't it? Then again, there aren't any death games going on up here. (Why should there be? We're all dead already.) Plus, I got to see Sierra again. She's just the same as I remember, except now she has a tiara that she wears everywhere. She says it doesn't hurt her head anymore.

But why am I writing all this? Are you actually reading these letters? Do you even care what I have to say?

No. I don't...I _shouldn't_ blame you. It's the game that killed me. The game only let the best survive, and I was never the best.

Joey: Sometimes, I catch myself worrying about you. You've been pretty busy over the last three years, doing death game after death game, watching all your friends die, and occasionally even killing them yourself. I couldn't take _one_ round without cracking. How did you manage _three?_ Do yourself a favor: don't do any more, cause you're gonna go insane if you keep this up. Forget about the crystal. Forget about us. Just go home to your boyfriend, get some therapy, and leave the saving-the-world stuff to the people who know what they're doing. And for the love of God, don't drag any more YouTubers into it. You've done enough damage already. Let us rest.

Matt: Thanks for giving me the heads-up that people were after me. It didn't do me any good, but at least I knew I could trust you (and Ro, who, by the way, is one of my dearest new friends up here). You saved my life, you were a major asset to my team, and you stuck by me even when everyone else was calling me dead weight. Yeah, I know you voted for me in the end, but I don't blame you. It was you, Saf, Ro, or me. Obviously I was the expendable one. Besides, I was pretty much doomed anyway. Oh, and I'm sorry I took so long to pick a block from the Serpent's Tower. I panicked. I'm not like you. I can't do everything.

Nikita: Manny's with me now. I sincerely, truly hope that losing him was your wake-up call to stop being such a...what's the word you like to use? Oh, right. _Bitch._ You were going after me harder than anyone else, and to top it all off, you basically got Roi killed. I'm trying to forgive you. I'm not quite sure I'm there yet. But I'll give you this: you fought like hell, you made yourself useful whenever you could, you were _super_ brave, and you somehow didn't die. So I give you props for that. I just hope you're a different person now than you were when we were playing that awful game. Maybe it's a stupid hope, but it's all I can hope for you.

Eva survived this game before. Find her, okay? Talk to her. She can help you. I know she can. She'll help more than I ever did.

I'm gonna close this letter with a simple last request: don't remember me as the expendable little girl from the game. Remember the me _before_ the game. Remember the girl who liked to wear pretty clothes, hang out with her friends, and make vlogs. Remember me as I was before I was broken.

Sincerely,  
Teala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: If you thought _Teala_ was upset...hoo boy. Colleen's got some _words_ for you.


	4. Bye For Now, Colleen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colleen's up! Everyone run for your lives!

Joey, Matt, and Nikita (but especially Joey),

_What the absolute fuck?!?_

Look, yes, I'll admit it, I wasn't one hundred percent right about you being evil, Joey, but after what happened, I think I'm more right than I thought. You _killed_ me! You _all_ killed me! You threw me into a spike box, closed the door in my face, then sat back and listened to me screaming as I _died_ in _agony!_ None of you did a _damn_ thing to save me! None of you even _cared!_

What? Were you expecting me to be all nice and angelic, like "oh, don't worry, I forgive you for literally murdering me," like some of the other peeps up here? Bitch, _please!_ You're getting _no_ forgiveness from _this_ bloody mess of a corpse!

I could tell you about what I'm up to now. I could tell you about the friends I've made, the reunions I've had, the revelations I've realized, but you know what? I won't. Because you don't deserve my stories. You lost your right to hear my stories the _second_ you put me in the murder box. Sorry not sorry, you backstabbing bastards! Serves you all right!

Joey: I loved you. _Loved._ Past tense. We were best _friends,_ remember? Who am I kidding? Obviously, you don't remember shit. Either that, or all those death games warped your mind and turned you into a completely different person than the one I used to know, and _that's_ why you were fine with throwing me to the wolves. Do you know how awful it felt when you practically condemned me? It felt like I couldn't breathe. Like I was already dead. Like you killed me right there, with your words, before I got anywhere _near_ the death box. Don't try to tell me you didn't mean what you said, or that you didn't think things through, or that you didn't want me to die, because you _did._ You _truly_ did. And nothing you can do or say will ever, ever, _ever_ be enough to take it back.

Nikita: So _I'm_ the crazy one? Ha! At least I have a heart that isn't freakin' frozen over, you stuck-up fake blonde bitch. I saw through you from the start. You thought you were tough shit, didn't you? You _weren't._ You were a scared little girl dressed in a big wig and some makeup, and you caved like a house of cards as soon as fate stopped bending to your will. You said once that you just wanted to live. That you'd do _anything_ to live. Well, congrats. You did it. You're alive. Hooray. Was it worth it?

Matt: Okay, fine. I'm not mad at you. You weren't there when I died, cause you were too busy being _dead._ (Which is also Joey's fault, by the way. Way to get rid of the _one_ person besides Saf who actually _knows_ shit!) But I gotta ask: if you _were_ there, who's to say that you wouldn't have voted me into that box right along with everyone else? They all did it. _Ro_ did it. _Ro._ Not even _she_ spoke up. I wish I could say that I believe you'd try your best to defend me, but honestly, my faith in people is shot to hell right now. Just be glad you missed that part. _Someone's_ gotta keep the moral high ground around here.

I was pregnant. Did you know that? I didn't know it, but I learned it when I got here. Erik and I were gonna have a baby. Now, we won't. Because I'm _dead._ And it's _all_ you guys' fault. So thanks for _also_ ruining my chances at a happy family life. Really appreciate it, guys! Good going!

Oh, and Joey? Bring me back. I _dare_ you. Give it your best shot. Because if you think I'm gonna collapse all grateful into your arms cause you couldn't face the consequences of your own goddamn actions, then buddy, you've got another think coming.

Bye for now,  
Colleen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know Colleen wasn't pregnant during filming, but I set s3 on April 13, 2018 (because that is when there was a Friday the 13th), and she found out on April 24 of that year. So...it could've happened.  
> Next letter: Safiya, in true Safiya fashion, returns this letter series to stability.


	5. Signed, Safiya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safiya tries to be professional, but it's hard for her to say goodbye to her friends.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

Dying is strange. Matt, you know this, because you died before, but it's like...you're here one minute, and everything is fine, but then _it hurts it hurts so much_ and in the blink of an eye, you're not on Earth anymore. You're somewhere else. You're some _thing_ else. You're _gone._

It's worse if you're not ready.

If I had to go, I wish I could've gone in a challenge, like everyone else before and after me (except maybe Colleen). I wish I could've fought for my life. I wish I could've lost, said goodbye, prepared myself, and accepted my punishment. But I couldn't. My death came as much of a shock to me as it did to you, and I have no one but myself to blame.

I'm getting used to life after death with a little help from my friends. Especially Ro. We barely knew each other when all this started, but now that we have all the time in the world, we're practically inseparable. She's good. _Too_ good. I can't say that I'm surprised that she wound up here with me, but I still feel guilty that I wasn't there to keep her safe. At least I can carry on my promise to protect her, even if it's not in the way that I intended.

Ro's not the only one. Manny's here too, and Colleen, and everyone else from that night...everyone except for you three, of course. I've said what I need to say to them. Now's the time for me to say what I need to say to you.

Joey: You and I defied the laws of death together. Remember that? Remember the Lazarus Harp, and that relieved smile on your face when Matt walked in, and the way we hugged each other like celebrating children? Hold on to that feeling. Hold on to when you fixed your past mistakes, and know that you are a better person than you think you are. If you can bring us back, so be it, but if you can't, don't spend the rest of your life wallowing in guilt and should've-dones. Instead, embrace the future. Life is more than its worst moments, and I hope that you can find the strength to look beyond these games.

Nikita: I'm sorry that I voted you into the Funhouse challenge. I was trying to keep Joey and Matt safe, but it wasn't fair to you, and it wasn't fair to Manny, either. Please forgive me. I know you think I deserved what happened, and maybe I did, but now that you're out of Everlock, please don't remember me just for the series of unlucky incidents that brought me down. Remember me for everything I did for the group, or, at least, everything I tried to do. I'm not asking you to cry for me, but at least don't reduce me to my worst.

Matt: Words can't express how glad I am that we were friends, if only for a moment. I thought we'd lost that opportunity after you died, but then you came back, and it was the greatest moment of the last night of my life. You, me, and Ro...I like to think that we made a pretty good team back there, and it's a shame we had to fall apart before we could truly get off the ground. But as I said before, I'll take care of Ro now. You just have to take care of yourself and your family. Live the life that you fought so hard to earn, and embrace your second chance, for all our sakes. Good luck out there, Matt. I miss you. I wish we had more time.

Keep an eye on my family, okay? And my boyfriend as well. They're going to need all the support and help that they can get. I'm trying to watch over them from where I am, but since you guys are still alive, you can do so much more for them than I can dream of doing.

Farewell, my friends. Don't forget me.

Signed,  
Safiya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: Cuteness, love, and Rosanna Pansino.


	6. Love, Ro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone say hi to Rosanna, and get ready for the nicest, most loving letter you've ever read in your life.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

Hooray! You saved Everlock! Oh, I _knew_ you could do it! I had faith in you—in _us_ —from the very beginning, and I'm _so_ glad to see that it all worked out, _especially_ since all those innocent townspeople can now live in a world free from evil spirits and creepy Carnival Masters. Well done, you!

By the way, Matt, you were right about what comes after death. There was a church, and there was a blonde woman and an Asian man, and I told them who I was, and they let me in. The church was kinda scary, though. There were all these faceless people who looked through my life in some sort of weird slideshow or something. I saw you guys a lot, especially Matt and Joey, and I think I might've cried. But I got into heaven in the end! So that's good!

I'm happy now. I'm with Safiya, Justine, Manny, and all my other friends, and we're like our own little family in the clouds. But not a day goes by when I don't think about the living, so I though I'd write this letter just to check up on you. Are you okay? Have you been eating right? Have you been drinking plenty of water? Hydration is important, you know!

Do you miss me? I miss you. That's the worst part about being dead. I gotta miss you while also hoping I _don't_ see you soon.

Joey: I came to Everlock for you. To help you out. To save not only the town, but also _you._ Did I succeed? Are you safe? I'd ask if you're happy, but that might be a bad question, considering the circumstances of the last three years. Think of it this way: the worst is over. You're out of the woods at last. You have your life back, and you can live without the threat of death hanging over your head. My wish for you is that you make peace with yourself and your losses, and that you learn how to discover happiness again. Is that too much to ask? I hope not. I'd rather die again than watch you suffer forever.

Nikita: I didn't know you as well as the boys, but I still think of you from time to time. I think of how brave you were, and how hard you fought, and how you refused to let any of the monsters bring you down. You had fire. What's more, you were the one who told me that going through the "process" would help me find my own fire. You were right, Nikita. I found my fire, and I let it burn until the end. As for you, now that you're out of Everlock, don't let your fire go out, okay? Use it to burn a path for yourself that's absolutely amazing.

Matt: Oh, Matt. I think I miss you the most. You were my best friend, my unofficial brother, _and_ my platonic other half, so I think it's gonna take me a little more time to get used to being without you. I'm glad you have Steph, little newborn Ollie, and everyone else who loves you down there, cause now they can help you overcome everything that happened that night. And you _will_ overcome it. You're too smart and too strong to let evil's despair take over your heart. You're gonna live a long and happy life with your family and friends, and I won't see you again till you're old and gray and ready to say hi to a girl you used to know. Until then, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I just wanna make sure you're fine as well.

Send my love to Mom, Dad, Mo, Mike, and all my other friends. Also, tell Mike to take care of Cookie. I don't know if she knows what happened to me, but she's going to need lots of love, treats, and belly rubs.

I love you all. Please don't be sad. I'll always be with you.

Love,  
Ro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: Manny also talks about love, but under slightly different circumstances.


	7. Yours Forever, Manny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manny's conflicted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this hasn't updated in a while. All Stars kinda distracted me. But we're back, and so are the dead!

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

You know, there's a lot of shit I wanted to do with my life. I was still working on my brand, for a start, and once it launched I was maybe hoping to get it into Sephora, and of course there was that extra little dream where I'd find Mr. Right and live happily ever after. Throw in a white picket fence if you want. Actually, don't. Plain white is overrated. I'd probably be That Bitch and paint my fence purple or something, just to make it stand out a little more.

Point is, if someone came up to me and was like "girl, you're gonna die at twenty-seven in a random-ass 70s town that is actually in the 70s, and also your best friend's gonna shoot you," I'd have been like "bitch, are you on crack?"

But here we freakin' are.

On the bright side, all the homophobes can officially go suck a dick, cause guess who got into the Good Place? _Me!_ That's right, bitches! I squeaked past those pearly gates and ended up with the rest of our friends in eternal life or whatever. Didn't get any wings, though, so I kinda feel ripped off. But at any rate, we're all up here getting used to our deadness, except for a few peeps who are going around claiming Joey's gonna do some shit to resurrect us. Are you, Joey? Is it bad that I kinda want you to? I just...I don't know, I guess it still hasn't sunk in yet that my life is over. It all happened so fast...

Well, you guys probably don't wanna hear the "woe is me my heart is broken why did I have to die" crap, and Colleen's yelling at me to hurry up and come look at the cute dress she found, so I'll just cut to the part where I tell each of you what you meant to me. Here goes nothing.

Joey: I still think you were being a little shady by not telling us everything right away, but you know what? It's all good. It's not like you admitting the truth would've made much of a difference in the way it all turned out. Hey, at least you got your life back! Count yourself lucky! After all, not everyone gets that chance. Few helpful hints: if you're ever in another situation where you need to pick people for a death game (and I really hope you're done with those, but you know, just in case), maybe _don't_ invite your friends? I hear the local prison wouldn't mind giving up a few inmates. That was a joke! I'm joking! Anyway, other than that, glad you made it home!

Matt: All that shit I said about how we only brought you back cause we needed you...I didn't mean it. That was just me being a dick. Truth is, you're not only smart as hell, but you're also a honest-to-God good guy, and you one _hundred_ percent deserved to make it out of that dump. So please don't think that my bitchiness means that I hate you, cause honestly, I don't. I really, _really_ don't. Also, since I took care of Ro while you were gone, it's up to you to take care of Nikita now that _I'm_ the gone one. You're gonna have that whole Survivor Friendship thing going, and it's gonna be great. I just wish...well, it doesn't matter what I wish anymore.

Nikita: Bitch, if I had a goddamn ounce of common sense, I'd hate your guts for what you did to me. And yet…I _can’t._ I _physically_ can't. I tried for like a week. Couldn't do it. This is probably gonna sound cheesy (and I know how much you don’t like cheesy things), but hating you would be like hating a part of myself. I can't erase all those years of you being the best friend I could ever hope to have just because we hit a stumbling block right at the end. I love you, Nikita Dragun. You're my girl and always will be. If you're looking for a way to make up for the whole murdering-me thing, what you gotta do is live your life with all the force and gusto that I know you're capable of. Don't let me die in vain. Oh, and make sure my brand gets finished. Manny Mua x Nikita Dragun Lunar Beauty. It's gonna be like we're a team again.

My family's probably gonna get that bullshit cover story about how I was totally axed by a spooky serial killer, just like they said about the groups from the last two years. Spare them the gory details. They don't need to hear that crap. Just be like "it's okay, Manny's in a better place, he's gonna be your guardian angel watching over you" and leave it at that. Hug them and say it's from me.

Okay, now I really _do_ have to go, so see you guys later! (Not _soon_ later, though. Please take your time.)

Yours forever,  
Manny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next letter: Mortimer wants to apologize.


	8. Sorry, Mortimer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that all the dead s3 YouTubers have said their piece, it's time for the two helpers to say theirs...starting with Mortimer, who is still beating himself up about his corruption and subsequent betrayal.

Dear Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. If it hadn't been for my stupidity, the Carnival Master wouldn't have awakened when he did, and Calliope would still be alive. I ruined everything.

If I could take it back...

I _can't._

I think that's the worst part.

All I can do now is keep watch over the entrance to heaven and hell. Yeah. That's my job now. Calliope and I took Jael and Ryu's places in the World Between Worlds. Someone had to. It's good, honest work, especially since there are _so_ many dead souls who enter the church every second of every day, but it can get lonely, since none of them stay for long. Calliope's the only one who stays. She says she forgives me, but I'm not sure if I'm hers to forgive.

I don't remember betraying you. I don't remember anything after the Swirl. It's okay, because I don't _want_ to remember.

Joey: I've heard whispers that you want to change the past. I know the feeling. If you can, go for it. If you can't, that's all right. I haven't seen your friends, but I've seen their letters pass out of the World Between Worlds, and I can feel the emotions they used to write them. They all care about you. Even the ones who think they don't...there's still traces of love on all seven of their manilla envelopes. That's not even considering your loved ones who are still alive. You may think you're the scum of the earth right now, but trust me, you're a better man than I am. A low bar? Maybe. But it's better than nothing. I wish you nothing but the best, and I hope that you can make your wrongs right. One of us has to.

Matt: You were right. I should've told you. When you asked how I was doing, I should've just fessed up about what happened with the Swirl. The fear of what you all would think of me held me back. You were smart, though, to figure out that something was wrong with me, and you were kind to offer your help. I appreciate that. Unfortunately, there are some things that are too powerful for even a guy like you to outmanuver. Now that you're out of Everlock, take care of yourself, and for the love of God, avoid all things supernatural. The ghosts might try to break you. Don't let them.

Nikita: I honestly don't know what we could've been. There were sparks between us at the beginning, but then my mom died, and I sort of stopped thinking about romance for a while after that...except for when Colleen flirted with me, and I'm not sure how seriously I was treating that situation. But it doesn't matter. I don't deserve you _or_ Colleen after what I've done. I'd ask you to get over me, but I'm pretty sure you already did that _long_ before I died. You're a tough girl. I think you could be a warrior someday.

My mom was the only family I ever had, and she's long gone, so at least no one will miss me. Bury me in Everlock. I was born there, I died there, and despite what it became, it's still my town.

If you can't forgive me, I understand. But please, as you live your hard-earned lives, spare a thought for me once in a while.

Sorry,  
Mortimer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next (and last) letter: Calliope sends her blessings.


	9. Blessings Upon You, Calliope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calliope wishes the survivors well, and the letters come to a close.

Dearest Joey, Matt, and Nikita,

Do not mourn my loss. I made my choice, and I do not regret it. Better me than the world...and better me than you.

I have a new role now. As I once protected you, I now protect the entrance to the life that comes after life. Mortimer is with me. He has returned to how he was before, which is a relief, but he's also quite upset about his role in the events of Everlock. I pray, someday, that he will learn how to forgive himself, but until then, I will be here to give him enough support for both of us.

Your friends, I believe, are safe. The next world has them now, and the blessings I sent their way should be enough to protect them.

Now, I bless you, my children.

Joey: May you find the tranquility you seek. May you make the wrongs you did right, if that is possible, and if it is not, may you make peace with those wrongs and remember that what's past is past. May you never again be evil's pawn. May all your remaining friends and family rally around you to provide you with unconditional love and support. May your future be bright. May your dreams come true. May you someday let the memories of all you have suffered fade from your mind, if only a little. Thus may you and your descendants be blessed for all of time. Let it be done.

Nikita: May the fire you've found in Everlock never go out. May it burn, and as it burns, may it rejuvenate your inner strength time and time again. May you rejoice in the survival you worked so hard to earn. May you honor those who died to get you where you are, but never wallow in despair over what you could've done differently. May you have clear skin, a long life, and a chance to change the world. May you heal, grow, and thrive in your journey throughout existence. Thus may you and your descendants be blessed for all time. Let it be done.

Matt: May you and your family have all the happiness in the world. May you not blame yourself for the deaths of your friends, but instead, keep their memory alive in a positive light. May you remain the good man you were when you hugged me in the tent, and may you raise your son to be as good of a man as you. May your name go down in history. May you live to see your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren. May your death become a distant memory as your scars are allowed to heal. Thus may you and your descendants be blessed for all time. Let it be done.

I leave nothing behind except my love for all of you. Even though our time together was so short, I am glad that our paths crossed on that fateful night. You made me feel more loved than I have ever felt. For that, I thank you with all my heart.

Blessings upon you,  
Calliope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and enjoying these!


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